A growing awareness has been forming in my mind that the phase of technology we are entering is going to rely on a subtle blend of ancient and pre-industrial technology harnessed with modern materials, engineering and know-how. This fascinating story called The Mechanical Battery posted at Damn Interesting by Christopher S. Putnam is a prime example of how that type of thinking is struggling to crack itself out of the egg in which it is incubating.
The "flywheel", as ancient as pottery, but also key to the industrial revolution and still in use everywhere, could serve as a powerful, compact battery. NASA and automakers alike are beginning to take the idea seriously. Using magnetic bearings which allow the flywheel to take a charge fast, spin at phenomenal speeds, and discharge the energy incrementally but powerfully, modern flywheels await the work of engineers to flesh out the details.
Incidentally, these types of flywheels are already being used by energy industries to store energy and help regulate the grid to prevent brown-outs.
Read the full story here.
No comments:
Post a Comment